Francis Atwoli seeks lower NHIF deductions
Central Organisation of Trade Unions Secretary-General Francis Atwoli speaks to the media in Nakuru County on April 4, 2018. Cotu has asked the National Hospital Insurance Fund to peg its deductions on workers’ basic pay. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Cotu insists that the medical insurer belongs to workers in the country who are the contributors to its kitty.
Tuesday’s statement steered clear of the brewing controversy on the proposed ejection of Cotu’s representative from the NHIF board.
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has asked the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to peg its deductions on workers’ basic pay as opposed to gross pay.
In a joint statement signed on Tuesday by the trade union secretary-general Francis Atwoli and NHIF chief executive Geoffrey Mwangi, the two bodies agreed to begin discussions on the proposal.
“Propositions have been made by the workers for NHIF deductions to be based on basic pay instead of gross pay. Both parties have agreed to further deliberate on the same,” said the statement.
The meeting comes in the wake of revelations that a proposed amendment to the NHIF Act seeks to kick out Cotu, teachers’ unions and Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) from the NHIF board.
SENT PACKING
Other organisations whose directors will be sent packing from the NHIF board if the law is passed, are the Kenya Medical Association and faith-based organisations.
The proposal has opened a fresh battle front with Cotu threatening on Monday that it will go to court to have the contentious clauses declared unconstitutional.
Cotu insists that the medical insurer belongs to workers in the country who are the contributors to its kitty.
“Cotu will not hesitate to move to court to seek redress over these matters.
“We are however optimistic that the president will not assent to such amendments because he will be negating the principles of the constitution he swore to protect,” said Mr Atwoli at the union’s headquarters in Nairobi.
UNIVERSAL COVERAGE
He was addressing shop stewards in readiness for this year’s May 1 Labour Day celebrations.
Despite this stand-off, Cotu and NHIF are united in their approval of the government’s plan to implement universal health coverage with the insurer as the main conduit for the State funding.
The two entities held their fifth joint annual meeting in Naivasha to discuss ways of enabling workers to access quality and affordable healthcare.
Tuesday’s statement, however, steered clear of the brewing controversy on the proposed ejection of Cotu’s representative from the NHIF board.
